- A mass extinction 360 million years ago was likely caused by a rapidly-warming climate that triggered a breakdown in the ozone layer.
- Plant samples from the time period reveal DNA that had been damaged by UV radiation.
- Scientists warn that we may be in store for another such event if we can’t control our own warming of the climate.
When the miles-wide asteroid that arrived at Earth some 66 million years ago came crashing down, it wiped out an estimated 75% of all species on the planet. It was an incredibly devastating event, and given the size of the space rock that caused it, it’s understandable.
But long before that colossal rock came down, a mass extinction event 360 million years ago wiped out a huge chunk of the plant and aquatic life on our planet. Now, researchers think they know what happened, and it all has to do with a damaged ozone layer.
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Ancient mass extinction event tied to breakdown of the ozone layer originally appeared on BGR.com on Thu, 28 May 2020 at 23:10:30 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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